Car-door-operating mechanism.



J. M. vROHLFING.

CAR DOOR'OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILE! MAY 27, 1914 I 1,}. 84,924. Patented May 23, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

J'. M. ROHLHNG.

CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANlSM.

APPHCATION FILED MAY 27, 3914.

Patented May 23, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEE T 2.

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J. M. ROHLHNG.

CAR DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 27. 1914.

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4 SHEETS'SHEET 3.

Patented May 23, 1916.

J. M. ROHLHNG. CAR DOOR'OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZI, $914- I Patented May 23, 1916.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May $2, 191%. Serial E le.

ihaifl whom c'tmay'conccrm Be it known that LJOHN M. Rornirme,

residing at St. Leuis, Missouri, and being a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful lmprcvenients in Car-Door-Operating, Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactfde. follow.

scription, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tmmske and to use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which illus trate the preferred form, of the invention, though it is to be understood'that the invention is not limited to the exaotidetails of coni tal section'ofthe same portion'yof thestruction shown and described, as it is obvious that various inodificationsthereo'f will occur to persons'skilledin'the artthem --will be .negligihle.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a centrallongitudi'nal sectional view of a hopper portion of a dumpingcar. Fig. 2 is a horizp taken on a plane somewhatlaibovethe center sills. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the said car portion to the rightof the door operating mechanism, andlooking toward the left, being taken on line 3'-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse, sectional View .thro'ugh the transverse central portion of' the car, being takenion line of Fig. 2,

the arrows'd'enoting the direction of vision. Fig. 5 is a sin'iilar transverse section,. but taken on line.i5.-5, of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detail View in side elevation, showing the ratchet pawl and locking arm in a disengaging pos1tion,-rendering it. possible to release" and drop the doors. is a detail transverse View, showing the swinging locking clip raised by and riding over the locking arm during the door closing operation. Fig.

8 is a perspective view. of a bracket for sus raining a door locking lever. Fig. 9'is a detail sectional view'ta-ken on line 9-9, ofFig. 2,, and looking in the direction of the arrows, a portion of the bearing being broken away for the sake of clearness.- Fig. 10 is a detail plan view of most of the parts shown in Fig. 9 gandldig. 11 is aview similar to Fig. 7. hut showing the locking arm opposed to the locking 'clip to prevent release of the doors.

Many forms of car door operating met-ha nisins employ chains which are Wound upon shafts, drums orjtheir equivalents, to raise the door: from an open to a closed position. Often the arrangement issuch that, as the the permissibility. of "thejuseof relatively doors are lowered iming-discharging position, the winding chains. have severe stresses imposed upon them, and either they must be made commensiirately strong, or

flit-the cardoor operating mechanism comprising the present invention, it-is contemplated to employ the door-raising chains only for bringing'the doors to a chased position after the discharge of the load. Consequently, one. of the advantages obtained-is light chains, as anv' stress imposed upon Not only the chains, but'also the ratchet wheel, the pawl and the hearings are immune from heavy stressesand may begof light construction.

. a .resultantineirpensiveness uch expenditure of time and inoney is frequently made to secure a fine adjustment of a chain Winding, with a view to avoidinga vexatious and imperfect closure of the doors, but in the present arrangement no refinement is necessaryv as the windingmechanism is adapted to cooperatewith adoorsupporting device Well designed to'insure the proper action of the doors. As the chains are located between the center sills, they occupy a highly protected position far aho've'the rails and beneath some type of car flooring. Owing to the dropping doorsfpulh Y ing'out 'thechains during the releasing period, there 19110. necess ty for handling revolvmg wheels, and entire safety is thus in" sured. To the low cost of initial construction is added that economy resulting from a conservation n wear and. tear, due to the lack ofappreciable stresses on the-parts,

and their ease of operation, which also ime proves their effectiveness; q

Beferringto the drawings, 1 indicates a chain spool shaft, which. passes through the hearings 2 and 3 secured to the side walls, and hearings 4 and 5 positioned uponand affixed to the center sills, of a car. Hand wheels 6 are secured to opposite ends of shaft 1 to permit it to he revolved'to effecta winding up of the chains, as hereinafter more fully set forth. Mounted on the shaft 1, is' a chain spool 7, locatedbetween hearings 4 and 5, and ratchetwheel 8 outside-of bearing 5; The cylindrical hub of the said not 'necessarilyirestricted to-the section described,' anl;the hand and ratchet wheels ins or an convenient means. P a

- anclthechainspool may be attached by keys,

Parallel to'spool shaft -l, butshown'as occup-yingga 'lower position, is a cooperating shaft'9, also, vby preference, having a rectangular'cross-section.f 0n each of its ends, outsideoffthe car :side walls, issecured an operating handle 10,,weighted at its outer end. Cooperating shaft9-also receives its support from bearings 2,3, 4 and 5, though, like spool shaft 1 itldoes not directly contact therewith A "locking arm 11 and a ratchet pawl 12, 'hav'ing'hubs, axially perforated and so as to conform to the section of cooperatingshaft 9, are mounted on to as the centralchain.

said shaft, thepawl 12 being alined with and adapted to "engage ratchet wheel '8 on shaft 1 and the locking arm 11 being located outside of the center sill-supported bearing 4. The hub of locking arm 11 is cylindrical and is revolubly supported in. said bearing 4, and a bushing 13, surrounding cooperating shaft'9, turns in bearing 5 and supportsthe'said shaft at this point.

The center sillconstruction of the car comprises a pair of spaced apart longitudinal members, here conveniently shown as channels 14, having their top and bottom flanges inturned. Below the top flanges, and inwardly from shaft9, is a sheave wheel 15, centrally disposed between the center sills 14, and supported-by suitable bearings 16 attached to the inner faces of the sills. Progressively spaced from sheave wheel 15, and at substantially uniform distances, are rolls 17, also located between the center sills 14, but occupying a lower position than sheave 15. Rolls 17 are comparatively long, being shown as nearly equal in length to the distance between the center sills 14, to the inner faces of which bearings '18 for said rolls'ar'e secured. Securely attached at one end to a proper point on chain spool 7, is a two-part chain '19, hereinafter referred The two central chain parts are connected by a small perforated triangular-shaped connecting plate 20, and to the free end of the chain another plate 20 is secured. To outwardly projecting corners of the chain connection plate 20, intermec liate the length of the central chain 19, arejattached forwardside chains extending to and over the forward roll 17.

Each end of each side chain 21 and each side chain 22, after extendingover its respective roll 17 ,passes through an aperture in adoor casting 23, secured to one of the doors 25,

and is attached to an adjustable eyebolt 24 carried by said casting. The chains run underneath sheave wheel 15, which keeps central chain 19 running centrally, and over rolls 17. The latter permit side play of side chains 21 and 22 'when they are under the influence of the action of the doors. The doors 25' are shown as being connected by hinges to supporting members at the car sides, which members may be side sills. The doors extend inwardly toward the center sills 14, and theirinner edges are adapted to bear thereagainst when the doors are closed. When the latter open, they are adapted to discharge lading below the center 8111s, as indicated in dot and dash lines The invention also c'omprehends a means for preventing an accidental release of the car doors, which means are governed by the cooperating shaft ,9, through locking arm 11 secured thereto. The release of the doors may be'obtained through any suitable mechanism ,that is controlled --by an operating shaft, and such a shaft is shown at- 26- extending longitudinally of the car, and is posi'tioned to one side of the longitudinal vertical central plane of the center sill construction and between the spaced center sills 14.

The door supporting and releasing mechanism shown in the drawings furnishes a good example of an appropriate mechanism to be controlled by shaft 26. It is apart of the present invention in. that it is a means for pressing the doors to their'tightly closed position and retaining them there until shaft 26 causes a release. Said door supporting and releasing mechanism comprises a plurality of door locking devices having rockable parts and'shaft 26, which "extends longitudinally of the car between the center sills and consequently between the doors. The door locking. devices are best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, and each includes I a casting 35, mounted on the upper flanges of the center sills 14, and is provided with a bearing 36. A rockable crank arm 37 is mounted in'said bearing, and pivotally' connected therewith and dependingtherefrom meanesin those door locking devices which are so located that the door lifting chains are re quired to extend through them. Loop i0 in link 39 permits such chain passage in any of its positions, as indicated in Fig, 4;. The lower ends of links 38 and 39 are pivotally connected to locking dogs 41, rockably mounted on the lower ends of swing links 42, which in turn are pivoted to supporting casting l3 resting on the bottom flanges of center sills 14%, and extending therebelow.

Shaft 26 is mounted in bearings supported from the center sills, and is operably associated and connected with the door supiortin and releasin mechanisms orlockin 1 C 5 devices, and at its forward end passes above sheave wheel 15 and terminates shortly behind, and somewhat below coiiperating shaft 9. On this end of the longitudinally extending shaft 26 is mounted a bifurcated crank arm 27, having a pair of outstanding arms. These arms are connected at their outer ends by pins which also pass through the inner ends of operating rods 28 and 29. The latter extend transversely of the car in opposite directions toward the car sides, which are perforated to allow the outer looped ends of said rods to partly pass therethrough, and the perforations are large enough to enable a trainmans arm to pass freely through said rods 28 and 29. i

To the inner faces of the car walls, just below the perforations are secured inwardly extending brackets 30. It has been found convenient to form them as pressings of angular cross section with innerupstanding projections, through each of which passes one of the operating rods 28 or 29, the looped end of which is outside said projection. The upstanding projectionsfof brackets 30, therefore, constitute stops, limiting the inward thrust of said operating rods.

Revolubly mounted on operating rod 28 is a locking clip 31, located in intimate re; lation with locking arm 11 carried by cooperating shaft 9. Retaining clips 32 are securely clamped to operating rod 28, one on each side of locking clip 31, and each has projections 33, which overlap said locking clip to normally hold it in a position opposing locking arm 11, when shaft 9 is acting to prevent the unwinding of the chains. Figures 9, 10 and 11 best disclose this condition of the relationship. And under this condition, the looped'end of rod 29, by reasonof its proximity to the upstanding projection of its bracket 30, prevents material movement in one direction of either rod 28 or 29. On the other hand, locking arm 11 prevents the movement of these rods in the other direction,by obstructing locking clip 31. Consequently, there can be no unintcntional release of the dnn'm them in manipulating When a release the doors is desired," one of the operating shaft handles 10, whichever it is most convenient to use, is thrown to the position shown in Fig. 6. Locking arm 11 is simultaneously thrown out of the path of locking clip 31, and' pawl said crank arms to raise links 88 and 89,

which then rock the locking dogs 41, and cause the links 42 supporting-them to swing inwardly. Locking dogs 41 are thus withdrawn from under doors 25, which drop by gravity to a lading-discharging position. As the doors drop they pull the chains with. them, rapidly revolving the spool 7, shaft 1, ratchet wheel 8 and hand wheels 6. After the discharge, coiiperating shaft handles 10 are returned to their former positions, whereupon pawl 12again engages ratchet wheel 8, preventing retroaction of shaft 1 as it is being turned by hand wheels 6 to rewind the chain upon spool 7, during the door lifting process.

Returning operating rods 28 and 29 to their initial positions securely locks the doors in closed position by rocking shaft 26 in a reverse direction, which reverses the action of the parts of the door locking devices and causes locking dogs 41 to extend under doors 25 to press them to their tightly closed positions. Though locking arm 11 is again in its obstructing location before the operating rods 28 and 29 are restored to their original places, the beveled lower face of locking clip 31 enables the latter to ride over locking arm 11, during which action the locking clip swings upwardly about 0 crating rod 28, as clearly shown in Fig. At the completion of its passage over locking arm 11, looking clip 31 swings by gravity back intoits locking arm-opposing position, being prevented from too great a downward movement by projections 33 of retaining clips 32. The car is then ready to receive "a" new load, which, when transported to its may be discharged as just dc portions of said doors, attachment devices on' said doors for said raising means, each comprising a recessed casting embracing one of said door reinforcements, said castings having apertures for the passage of part of said door-raising means, and apparatus adapted for operating said door-raising means. i

3. In a car door operating mechanism, an inter-connected system of flexible door-raising means operable longitudinally of center sills of a car having side walls, and apparatus for operating the same, said means comprising a spool shaft disposed transversely of the car and extending through said side walls and being supported intermediate its ends, means for rotating said shaft, a spool extending transversely of'said sills, and a ratchet wheel, both mounted on said shaft, a coiiperating shaft, weighted operating handles therefor, anda pawl on said cooperating shaft adapted to co-act with said ratchet wheel. I

4. In a car door operating mechanism, a system of flexible door-raising means operable longitudinally of center sills of a car having side walls, winding apparatus includmg a ratchet wheel for said door ra1sing means, and cooperating means for said apparatus comprising a shaft extending beyond both said" side Walls, a pawl rigidly mounted thereon and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, and operating gravity handles secured to said shaft outside said side walls adapted to maintain said pawl in or out ,of engagement with s'aidratchet wheel. o 5. In a car door operating mechanism, a system of fleXible .d0or-raising means operable longitudinally of center sills of a car, winding apparatus operable from sides of the car,'anda shaft extending transversely of the car having connected therewith cooperating means adapted at will to prevent or permit jretroaction of said Winding apparatusin c nnbination with operating mechasupporting ,nism Jadapted to control door and releasing devices,

6. In a ear door operating mechanism, flexible door-raising means operable longitudinally of center sills, of a car, winding apparatus therefor, and cooperating means for said apparatus including a shaft, in combination with a shaft for operating doorsupporting and releasing means, a bifurcated lever fixed to said shaft, oppositely extending operating rods pivotally connected with said 'lever, brackets supporting said rods and attached-to car side walls perforated above "said brackets, and interlocking means secured to one of said rods and to the shaft for said cooperating means.

7. In a car door operating mechanism, flexible door-raising means operable longitudinally of acar through its central portion, winding apparatus therefor, and cooperating retroaction prevention and permission'means including a shaft, in combination with operating and interlocking mechanism for door supporting and releasing means,

comprising an]' operating shafit having a crank arm, oppositely extending operating rods pivoted thereto, supports for said rods,

movable locking means definitely positioned on one of said rods, and a locking arm fixed to said shaft, normally opposing said locking means but movable away therefrom, said locking means being capable of riding over said arm to return to its normal position.

8. In a center dumping car, doors hinged at the. sides of said car and'opening downwardly and outwardly, door-raising means located between and movable longitudinally of center sills and comprising a, central chain, a plurality of side chains attached to the central chain and to said doors, anti-' friction supporting and guiding means for said side chains, an anti-friction directing.

device for said central chain, and apparatus for chain winding. V

9. In a car door operating mechanism, Ran interconnected system of flexible door-raising means operable longitudinally of ear center sills, center dumping doors adapted to close against said sills, locking meansfor said doors supported by said center sills, means for operating said locking means, aind apparatus adapted for operating ,said doprraising means. V i

10. In a car, a. door operating means comprisingran inter-connected system of chains operable between and longitudinally ofr'car center sills andconnected with doors, apparatus forJwinding said chains, supporting andwguiding devices for said chains, [each comprisinga roll of greater length than the lateral extent of inovement of said chains,

andbearings for said roll each seclyi'cd to ing means located between and movable longitudinally of center sills and comprising central chaln, a plurality of side chains connected with the central chains and withsaid doors," anti-friction supporting and guiding;

means for-said side chains, an anti-friction directmg devlce for said central chain, and

apparatus for chain winding.

12; In a car, center dumping doors, door operatlng means comprislng .an mterconnected system of flexible door-raising means operable between and longitudinally of car center sills connected with said doors, and supporting and guiding devices for said flexible door-raising means, each comprising a roll or greater'length than the lateral extent of movement of said door-raising means,

- and bearings for said roll each secured to operating the same, said means comprising a a spool shaft disposed transversely of the car and being; supported intermediate its ends, means for rotating said shaft; a spool extending transversely of said sills and a ratchet wheel, both mounted on said shaft;

a cooperating shaft, operating handlestherefor and a pawl on .said cooperating shaft adapted to co-act wi'tlifsaid ratchet wheel. y Y

14. In a dumping car,;a door opersystem of'flexible door raising means movable-longitudinally of the car, connection ating means comprising an interconnected plates in said system, doors connected with said door-raising means and rockable latches extending transversely of the car adapted to underlie said doors to hold them in locked position. 1

15. In a dumping car, a door operating means comprising an interconnected system of flexible door lifting means movable-longitndinally of the car, a shaft extending long'i- -45 tudinally of the car, door latches ex-tendin transversely of the car and means oper atively connecting the .shaft and said latches. v v

In witness. whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. J OHNM. ROHLFING. Witnesses:

JAmis J. Coornn, 1 ROBERT J. SCHEIBLI, Jr.

@opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner-o! Patents. Washington, D. O. 

